TROGON AURANTIUS, Spix.

Orange-breasted Trogon.

Mas. Trog. vertice, pectoreque violaceo-ceruleis nitore viridi, gutture nigrescenti; dorso et
uropygio intense viridibus, hoc ccerulescenti ; alis negris, in medio liners delicatis cinereis
undatim striatis ; prinaris albo extis marginatis lateribus cinereis ; abdomine medio crisso-
que splendidé aurantiacis ; rectricibus caude duabus intermediis intense viridibus 3 utrisque
duabus proximes nigrescentifuscis extus viridi lavatis, his atque illis ad apicem albis ; rectri-
cibus tribus externis nigrescentifuscis per dimidium basale, dimidio apicali albo; rostro
liwide corneo ; pedibus plumbers.

Foem. Capite, corpore supra, gutture, pectore, lateribusque nigrescenti-cinerets ; cauda negrescentt-
cinered, rectricibus intermediis ad apicem nigerrimis, tribus eaternis albo extius marginatis,
apicibusque albis; ala media albo striata; abdomine medio, crissoque aurantiacis ; rostro

obscure corneo, ad apicem pallidiore ; pedibus plumbers.

Male. Crown of the head and chest violet blue, with green reflections, passing into brownish
black on the throat ; back and rump rich dark green inclining to blue on the latter ; wings
black, with the centre very finely striated with greyish white, and the primaries margined
on the outer edges with white ; flanks grey ; centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts
rich orange yellow; two centre tail-feathers rich green ; the two next on each side blackish
brown, tinged with green on their outer webs, and all six tipped with black; the three
lateral feathers on each side blackish brown at the base, and pure white for the remainder
of their length; bill blueish horn-colour ; feet lead colour.

Female. Head, all the upper surface, throat, chest, flanks and tail dark blackish grey, the
middle feathers of the latter tipped with jet black, and the three lateral ones on each side
margined on their external webs, and tipped with white ; centre of the wing striated with
white ; centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts orange yellow ; bill dark horn colour,
becoming lighter at the point ; feet lead colour.

Total length, 10: inches; bell, 1; wing, 5; tatl, 6; tarsi, +.

Trogon aurantius, Spix, Av. Sp. Nov., tom. 1. p. 47. tab. xxxvi.

 

I wave but little hesitation in referring the present beautiful species to the Zrogon aurantius of Spix, and
this opinion coincides with that of my friend Mr. John Natterer, who when in London examined my speci-
mens, and informed me that it was not uncommon in the woods near Rio de Janeiro: I have myself received
it from various parts of the Brazils, which country would appear to constitute its natural habitat. Much
difference exists in the colour of the upper surface of different specimens, particularly in the head and throat ;
some having those parts of a rich violet purple, while others have the same parts of a rich metallic green ;
but as I find no difference in their relative admeasurements, I am led to regard them as merely varieties of the
same species. The plumage of the young male resembles that of the female, but the central tail-feathers are
at all times glossed with green on the upper surface: they are however apt to puzzle the ornithologist unless
he has made himself acquainted with the peculiar changes of the tribe, from the circumstance of the feathers
of the body frequently undergoing a change before those of the wings and tail. I have a specimen in my col-
lection, in which an almost perfect change has taken place in the plumage of the body, its tint being nearly
as rich as that of the adult : this specimen is also rendered more remarkable by the centre of the wing having
assumed the fine and minute markings of maturity, while the tail resembles that of the female, in which the
white only occupies the outer webs and extreme tips of three lateral feathers.

Habitat. Brazils.

The Plate represents a male and female of the natural size.